Paper film conveyer



Feb. 29, 1944. E. zoLLlNGER 2,342,780

PAPER FILMS CONVEYER Filed Aug. 2l, 1941 Patented Feb. 29, 1944 PAPER FILM CONV EYER Ernst Zollinger, Turin, Italy; vested in the Alien Property Custodian Application Augustl 21, 1941, serial No. 407,802 In Italy September 3, 194|) 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a device for conveying paper or lms through the known automatic machinesifor development and other treatments of Y way of example in the accompanying drawing;

wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section 0f the conveyer used in connection with an ordinary automatic machine for development; and other treatments of photographs.

Figure 2 is a cross section thereof on a smaller scale.

Figures 3 and 4 show details.

Figure 5 is a detail showing a modified form of conveyer band associated with a pulley.

As is well known, automatic machines for development and other treatments of light sensitive photographic material include a plurality of vertical tubs a, b, c, arranged beside one anotherand containing the various baths through which the light sensitive material is successively conveyed by conveyers of various constructions at suitable speeds and in which it undergoes the desired treatment.

According to this invention an individual conveyer is provided for each compartment or tub a, b, c; all the conveyers operate synchronously and means are provided between the individual compartments for# transferring the material under treatment from one compartment to another. Each conveyer comprises an upper shaft I, which is in this case a driving shaft, carrying near its ends two pulleys I' or similar members;

a lower shaft 2 carrying two pulleys v2'. An endless ilexible band 3, supported by each driving pulley I' Adescends in a loop form towards the bottom of l.the tub over the transmission pulley 2. The conveyer further comprises two top shafts 4, 5 situated on opposite sides of the middle plane of the compartment or tub and carrying in the planes of ythe pulleys I 2 the pairs of supporting pulleys 4' 5'; alower shaft 6 carrying in the above mentioned planes two further pulleys 6'. Each pair of supporting pulleys 4', 5' cooperate with a further endless flexible band 1 descending towards the bottom of the tub in the form of two loops, one of which passes over the transmission pulley 6', while the other passes over the pulley 2' and contacts with the band 3 on the pulley 2 and with the two portions moving from this pulley up to the pulleys 4', 5'.

The unit comprising the shafts I, 2 and 6 is supported by way of example by the uprights 8 (see Figs. 1, 2), while the shafts 4, 5 may be supported by arms extending from thesame uprights 8 or by independent supports 9 secured to the walls I0. The contacting portions of the bands 3, 'I travelling together on the transmission pulleys 2 are -kept stretched by stretching means II mounted for oscillationat I2 on the upright-s 8 and pressed by spring means I3. The portions of the bands 1 descending from the pulleys 4', 5' down to the transmission pulleys 6 may also be stretched by the weight of the pulleys 6' and their shaft 5 vmounted for vertical displacement within slits 8' in the uprights.

The shafts I are rotated all in the same direction as for instance, the direction shown by the arrows on Fig. 1, and at the same speed. The bands 3 carried by the pulleys I' are driven and as they rotate the transmission pulleys 2.', they also carry along by friction the bands 1 and actuate the pulleys 4",`5 and the transmission pulleys 5. If desired, the side pulleys 4' and -5' may also be operated as driving pulleys by providing on the shaft I a toothed wheel I meshing with toothed wheels 4", 5" of suitable diameter mounted on the shafts 4, 5 as shown in the modification of Fig. 3. In this case the bands 'I are also positively operated instead of being indirectly driven by friction by the bands 3.

The paper strip or film I4 to be treated is fitted by its longitudinal edges between the portions of the bands 3, I extending in contact with each other and travelling together between the pulleys 4', 5' and the pulley 2.

The paper or lm strip held by its longitudinal edges only between the'two bands 3, I performing a concordant translational movement, is successively conveyed through the various compartments or vertical tubs a, b, c, in the following manner. The strip I4 is caught between the pulleys I and 4 at a point where the bands 3 having left the pulleys I pass over the pulleys 4'; the strip I4 is caught by its longitudinal edges between the two contacting portions of the bands 3 and 'I and is conveyed through the bath contained in the tub; the strip I4 is again released from the bands 3 and 'I at the point Where the bands 3 again pass over the pulleys 1 and the bands 'l over the pulleys 5': the strip then issues tangentially to the pulley 5', is guided by anv inverted trough I5 arranged between two succeeding tubs and is again caught between the pulleys I' and 4 of the next tub at a point where the bands 3 having left the pulleys I' pass over the pulleys 4' and is caught again between the contacting portions of the bands 3 and l. 'I'he strip I4 passes in this manner through all the tubs.

` oFFlcis.A

'I'he iiexible bands 3, 1 maybe in the form of a hand or belt of any suitable material adapted to withstand the action of the various baths. The various guide and driving pulleys, or part of them, may be grooved pulleys. The ilexible bands may also be replaced by chains, in which case the various pulleys may have teeth adapted to engage with the sprockets, like the teeth 2" shown in Figure 4 on the pulley 2'.

According to the modification shown in Figure 5, the conveyer n in the form of a band is formed laterally with rips or teeth n' inwardly bent for retaining the edge of the pulley p and engaging therewith. Moreover, the pulley may be formed on its periphery with pins or teeth p adapted to engage in the hollows between the teeth n' of the band in order to positively drive A sme.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and-described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

In an automatic machine for the development and other treatments of photographic films by transfer through tubs containing treating fluids, a lm Ifeed device comprising in combination with each tub a frame having an upright support, an endless band, a top pulley rotatably mounted on said upright support for supporting and driving said band, a lower transmission pulley for said band rotatably mounted on said upright support, a second endless band in each tub two top pulleys for supporting said second-mentioned band descending into the tub in the form of a double loop, one of which passes over the lower pulley for the first band, a lower stretching p ulley rotatably mounted on said upright support and over which passes the other loop of said second band, so that the two bands move in contact with each other between the lower pulley for the first band and the supporting pulleys for the second band and engage the lm along its longitudinal edges and carry it along through the tub, an arm pivoted at a midpoint thereof to said upright support between the upper and lower pulleys, said arm having a tensioning member mounted on both ends to engage the bands, a spring secured to said arm and to the frame to swing the arm so that the tensioning members yieldingly take up slack and apply tension in said bands so as to grip the lm being treated, means between contiguous tubs for guiding said lm from a tub to the next one, and means for transmitting motion from the driving pulleys for the rst band to the supporting pulleys for the second band.

ERNST ZOLLINGER. 

